So I get the 8" (no kidding 8 frigging inches of paperwork!) of paper scrapped together all the signatures in the right places, enough of the interior to fly the bird home installed and by tuesday morning, I had a weather window to do the test flight and get a shot from Georgia to Flagstaff in VFR between storms. So off I go. The autopilot is a dream, coupled with the GPSS steering, I just have to hang back and gel. Lots of entertaining glowing lights to watch, which keep my ADD brain amused for about 2 hours. The worm in the apple was, no matter when I fly I always have a headwind. Oh, but today was special, a 48 kt headwind, didn't matter much what altitude I chose. The Aspen makes it doubly depressing, always showing a small arrow with the speed. Just needed a small caption saying; "your screwed!"
So a bunch of fuel stops later I make it Clovis, its getting dark and my brain is addled. Luckily the airport car is available, as there really isn't much in the way of taxis there. The airport crew car is worth a book. a 1980 Honda, no muffler, 1.5 gears. no wipers and cuts out between 35 and 45 mph. 20 years of MacDonalds wrappers and other mysterious things rolling around on the floor (probably the gears that shot out of the transmission), A real chick magnet. It was free and actually made it to and from the hotel, so the price was right. It had me laughing the entire way. Excellent Mexican restaurant, had a Mexican beef stew burrito (new to me).
So the next morning the car gratefully started up, but the fuel gauge read empty. So I pull in and put so go juice in. Well, it probably had plenty, as it didn't go up any, couldn't see it in the dark. It is a beautiful clear, really cold morning. I get to the airport and the plane is coated in frost, not pretty, like kill you with no lift frost. No matter, it is sunny and judicious rotating the plane around will let the sun melt it off. The self service is broken and the fueler is late, really late.
I finally fuel up, take off and try not to violate Cannon AFB's many restricted areas. I get to 10,500 and it is smooth, clear and NO WIND for a change. So I one leg it to Flagstaff. I must say, one of the cooler items I put in the plane was the P&S Engineering PMA8000BT audio panel. It is a clever bluetooth enabled audio panel. It connects automatically to my iPhone and plays music and lets you make & receive illegal phone calls while you fly. It is really clear and folks can't even tell your in an airplane.
Its home now. I still need to powder coat and silk screen the panels, finish the fit of the interior panels, put a bit more soundproofing in. Then I get the complete orgasmic joy of replacing the completely destroyed headliner (putting in new skylights devastated it). It is snowing up a storm in Flag now, so it will be after the white stuff stops falling and I finish putting some ski tracks in the fresh snow. Meanwhile it is safe and snug in the former meat storage locker that is my hanger here.
If anybody needs a really complete set of VG's & the STC for a 185, I pulled mine off at paint. You just need to order the paint kit for the mask to put them back on. I don't like them, its just me, other people thick they are great. PM me with something to trade (even money, although I could use the 3rd row seat, well not really use it, ET went home and he had the correct sized legs to fit. I just want it to collect).
